Minister talks of difficulties of immigration system

James Brokenshire, Immigration MP and Eric Ollerenshaw, MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood

Published:16:25Thursday 05 February 2015

The Minister for Security and Immigration James Brokenshire MP visited Preesall to host an ‘Immigration Direct’ event.

Residents were given the opportunity to quiz the minister on a range of issues from the EU Referendum, to asylum and the strain on the NHS when foreign nationals arrive in the UK ill to use it.

The event was organised by Fleetwood MP Eric Ollerenshaw.

Speaking after the event Mr Brokenshire said: “It’s been a visit to listen, about some of the pressures that people have been experiencing.

“Whether that be schools that are having children coming in who can’t speak English and some of the specific challenges that brings, and it comes down to, I suppose, the speed and rate of change that we’ve seen on migration over recent years and how that presents itself in communities.

“And it was also just to get that sense of feedback on people’s concerns about the system generally.”

Mr Ollerenshaw added: “I’m really grateful to James for coming today to hear the concerns of local residents. I think the discussion was a productive one and the minister was able to answer questions on a whole range of issues.

“You saw from the range of questions that residents appreciate how complicated it is. To my mind, they’ve been appreciative to have a minister here who is prepared to answer them.

“I thought there was some really interesting questions ranging from asylum seekers to people arriving here ill.”

During the question and answer session, the minister also gave an insight into the lengthy process of deporting Abu Qatada saying that he became known as the “minister for the deportation of Abu Qatada” adding that he’d assured the Prime Minister “if the plane breaks down there is a spare one”.